President Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO allies for insufficient defense spending and their reluctance to support U.S. operations in the Iran conflict, including securing the Strait of Hormuz, prompting public musings about alliance withdrawal and concrete steps such as planned troop reductions in Germany and Poland plus scaled-back commitments of U.S. fighter jets, bombers, submarines, and destroyers. A 2023 statute requires congressional approval for any U.S. exit from the treaty, creating a legal hurdle reinforced by the 2026 defense bill limiting force cuts below 76,000 without consultation. Upcoming November 2026 midterms and a Pentagon posture review could shape further conventional retrenchment under the “NATO 3.0” framework while preserving the nuclear deterrent, though full withdrawal remains constrained by statutory and political barriers.